Spring spreading tool



IRA o. GRANT, or oANroN onIo, ASSIGNOR or ONE-HALF T0 WILLIAM R.

- in the past for 9 but the great majorityof them'have embodied Patented Get. 4, 1932 12 5iUiNtT -D T S PATIENT OFFICE s-EEsn;

OF CANTON, OHIO 3 V srnme SPREADING' TOOL,

Application filed March 17, 1931. Serial No. 523,267. r

' Jilly: invention relates to tools used in applying or removing automobile springs.

More particularly, my invention relates to a tool for flexing andholding flexed a leaf spring.,mounted transversely of a. vehicle when applying said spring to or removing it from said vehicle. a

Various tools or jacks have been devised accomplishing this purpose,

a jack whichforces one end of the spring outward by applying a pressure between that end of the spring and a shouldersecured to the airle underlying' the spring. lNith this 15 type of tool, the aXle may not'be removed from the vehicle without removing the spring, and: the construction of the standard automobile doesnot usually permit removal of; the spring and axle together.

. It has been proposedto provide a tool for spreading such a transverse: spring which appliesuoutward, pressure between the ends and has no connectionwith the axle, but difli-,

- culty is had' with this type of toolin that it vtends-Ito twist relative to the spring} when outpressure isapplied. This twisting may result in the tool slipping and. being thrown out- 031" engagement with thespring with great force due to the tension of the spring. Further; difficulty is had. positioning the tool 'wlr'en: applying it to' the spring.

It is air-object ofthepresentinvention to provide a simpleandinexpensive tool for spreading a leaf spring mounted transversely ota' vehicle by'eXertin-g outward pressure between the ends thereof, means being vided for preventing twistingiof the tool relative tothe spring, 1 FA further object is. to provide a tool for spreading a transverse spring which tool will, wheniin operating position, permit removal of the axle of. the vehicle and its associated parts. gAi iother objectis to provide means for positioning the toolby engagement with the axle, whichwmeans will not interfere with the removal cream axle when the tool is in truc -'1 4;

still furtier object is to provide removable means between one end of the tool and theend of the bolt,

pro-

the adjacent end of the spring for preventing creeping of the end of the tool relative to the spring and for preventing locking of the end of the tool.

' These and other objects are attained by the improvements comprising the present invention, as will be hereinafter pointed outin detail.

In general terms, the invention includes a bar having one end adapted to engage anend I of the spring behind the spring eye, the other end of the bar having a downwardly depending-leg adapted to: rest upon the axlehousin of the vehicle, a bolt threaded through the leg and extending outwardly there-from, and a detachable substantially semi-cylindrical collaradapted to engirdle the eye adjacent the collar being provided with a socket adapted to be disposed above the axis ofsa-id; eye for? receiving the end of f the bolt. 7 p I A preferred embodiment of the present improvements is illustrated in the accompanying drawing in which Figure l is a fragmentary rear endelevation of an automobile having a leaf spring mounted transversely thereof, showing the tool applied to the springfor installing the same;

Fig; Qis a similar view showing the: tool holding the spring in fully spread position, the axle and associated parts being represented dot-dash lines toindicate that the same may be removed with the tool in posi tion; I r

' "Fig; 3 tea detached perspective view of the tool and the associated spring-eye collar and Fig. 4 is a detached perspective View of the collar. 7 v

Similar numerals refer to similar parts throughout the several views.

The rear axle housing of an automobile is indicatedat 10, having at its central portion the differential housing 11. Rear wheels are journaled on the ends of the axlehousing 10 in the usual manner and include spokes l2 and 12 and brake housing members 13 and 13, respectively.

, The usual'brake mountin-gmembers l4 and l ponthe selv sin 11 are secured to the axle-housing in a well known manner.

The rear transverse spring is indicated generally at 15,"and preferably is secured at its central portion by U bolts 16 to a curved channel member17, which i'sin turn secured to the 'frame18 of the automobile. The main plate 19 of the spring has its ends curved the usual manner to form the spring eyes 20and 20. a

. Ears21 and 21,are secured to the brake members lt and 1 1 respectively..-- A spring 1 shackle 22 is pivotally connected at one end to the ear 21 and atits other end is adapted .to bepivotally connected to the eye 20 of the spring15. Likewise a spring shackle 22 is pivotally connected at oneend to the ear 21 generally 'at 2 3,and includes the bar I and at its other end is adapted to be pivotally v connected to the eye 20 of the spring 15. w Theimprovedspreading'tool is indicated 24, preferably. of rectangular cross section, and having' the upwardly angled blade portion 25 at one end for engaging behind one eye of the spring 15, the blade 25"being shown in Figs.

land 2 as engaging the'main plate 19 of the spring'and the eye20.

The bar 24. has a downwardly depending leg 26 at its other end adaptedto rest upon the axle housing 10when the tool is in position.

. The central longitudinal portion of thebar 24; is preferably upwardly curved as at'27 to clear the difierenti'a-l housing 11 at all times.,',

Al bolt- 28, threaded throughoutits length, is preferably screwed through the leg 26 substantially. at right angles thereto, and is 'adapt'edto be extended and-withdrawn relatlve to said'leg by applying a wrench or suit- 7 the eye of thespring,

1o l 'f- A substantially 7 abletool to the head 28a.

l semi cylindric collar 29 is preferably provided for slidably engirdling and is shown in Figs.

land 2515 .applied-to-the eye 20.;'A substan- 'tially conical socket 80 is providedin the outer surface of the-collar 29, and is adapted forreceiving the pointed or conical end '28?) i of: the bolt when the same is outwardly ex tend'edtoward the eye'20' of thespring. The

'- 1 socket .30. is so located that it will be disposed abovethe axis of the eye 20 when the, end of if the 1bolt;28?)is insertedgthereini and pressure is applied .by turning thescrew bolt '28.

fl l-Thus, when thebolt is screwed outwardly fromthe leg 26 toapply outward pressure between the endsof the sprin'g15, the tool will be 'wedgably held in position between the eyesof the spring, and the slidable collar 29 will prevent creeping of the bolt and at the 7 same time prevent'locking between the end ofjthe bolt and the spring eye 20.

-=- A lock nut 81'is'preferably provided upon the "bolt 28forloclring the bolt in adjusted position by screwing the nut into abutment w1ththeleg26. hen'it is desired to install the spring 15 eyes 20 and 20 may then be screwed inwardlysuificiently to upon an automobile, the spring is first attached to the frame 18 by means of the U bolts 16, thegbody of the automobile being suS pended by any convenient means'such asa chain hoist.

The collar 29 isthen positionedaroun'd other eye 20 of the "spring and the bolt screwed outwardly until its end 28?) enters the socket30, thus holding the collar in the position shown inFigsl and 2. By further screwingthe bolt outwardly the eyes of the spring will be -spread apart as shown'in Fig. 1, the leg 26sliding along the axle housing 1Q and acting to preventtwisting of the tool relative to the spring.

When the spring has been spread sufliciently, the eyes 20 and 20 may be lined up with the free ends of theshackles 22 and 22" respectively, by manipulation, of the chain hoist. The" shackle bolts may thenbe insertedJand the tool removed. a

from the automobile, the' above procedure 1s reversed. I a r "If it should be desi'redto take out therear end of the automobile for the purpose of making repairs thereon, that is', to remove: the

rear wheels,rear axle and housing as a unit,

the same may be done by one man with the aidof the improved tool; The 7 spring spreadingtoolis inserted between the eyes of the spring as shown in Fig. 2, the collar 29 having beenfirst applied, and the shackles.

and economically manufactured and is ex-' tremely simple in operation. It 18 to beunv derstoodthat thevarious modifications in the present improvements may be made without departing from the scope ofthe inventionas defined in theappendedclaims.

Iclai n:1" 'f 1. Aspiring spreadingtoolinoluding a bar having one end adapted for engaging behind an eye of a transversely locatedautomobile spring overlying an axle, afldownwardly de= the other end of the bar for pending leg at V resting uponthe axle to space the bar above the axle, detachable means forsli'dablyen- The tool 2 3 with the bolt 28 re-' tracted as shown in Fig.3,is then positioned with the blade25 engaging'baek of'one-of the eyes as the eye 20, and with the leg 26 resting upon the axle h0using 10,., the

When it is desired to remove the spring easily removed,jrepaired' and from the foregoing that the improved spring spreading tool is easily gThe bolt 28 girdling the other eye of the spring, and extension means mounted for longitudinal movement on the depending leg and adapted to engage said engirdling means. 1

spring spreading tool including a bar having an upwardly angled blade at one end adapted for engaging behind an eye of a transversely located automobile spring overlying an axle, a downwardly depending leg at the other endlof the bar for resting upon the axle to space the bar above the axle, detachable means for slidably engirdling-the other eye of the spring, and a bolt threaded through the leg and adapted to be extended outwardly for engagement with said eye engirdling means.

3. A spring spreading tool including a bar having an upwardly angled blade at one end adapted for engaging behind an eyeof a transversely located automobile spring overlying an axle, a downwardly depending leg at the other end of the'bar for resting upon the. axle to space the bar above the axle, a bolt threaded through said leg and adapted 'to be extended outwardly therefrom, a lock nut on the bolt adapted to abut said leg, and

' a detachable collar slidably engirdling the other eye of the spring and provided with a socket normally located above the axis of iaid eye for receiving the outer end of the olt. i

In testimony that I claim the above, I have hereunto subscribed my name.

IRA 0. GRANT. 

